Paper feeding



Jan. l0, 1933. R. KLEMM PAPER FEEDING Filed Oct.' 6, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet l ff lig I @l MM 2/ Msgs@ Jan. l0, 1933 R. KLr-:MM l 1,893,778

PAPER FEEDING Filed Oct. 6, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 1o, 1933. l R. KLEMM 1,893,778

PAPER FEEDI'NG Filed Oct. 6, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 w w 16 www Jan. 1o, 1933. R KLEMM 1,893,778

PAPER'FEEDING Filed 0G13. 6, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 3am. 1G, 1933., R, KLEMM H,893,778

PAPER FEEDING Filed Oct. 6, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 .Fam 10, 1933.7

PAPER FEEDING Filed oct. e, 1930 s sheets-sneet e R. KLEMM ,893778 Patented dan. l0, 1933 annota aiderait,

or rinrrzrenaewrrz, aanstaan, or nmrzrenaawrrz,

GEB/MANY, ASSIGNOR TO GEBRUDEBJ GERMANY, A GERMAN FIRM v @AFER FEEDINGr .application led 'ctober The present invention relates to a new method of releasing and removing single sheets or strata of paper and the like from pilesin order to deliver such sheets or strata individually to paper sheet or strata handling machines, such as for example, folding machines, stitching machines, collecting and like machines.

@ne object of this invention is to provide an automaticsheet-feeding arrangement whereby the method above referred to can be carried into effect, while a second object is to provide means for preventing the feed ot `faulty sheets to the associated sheetfhandling mechanism.

According to this invention apparatus is provided to carry into edect a method ot automatically segregating and removing individual sheets er strata from an obliquely disposed pile, whereby sheet gripping means and a sheet held thereby are deiected relatively to the pile and the sheet then segregated and swung away from the pile.

n automatic sheet feeding arrangement constructed on this principle in association with a collecting or agglomerating machine is represented by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. lis a view corresponding to a section along the line l-l of Fig. 3 and shows a unit of the sheet separating mechanism together with the manner in which it is actuated.

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to a section along the line lllll of Fig. 3 and shows a different view of mechanism equivalent to that show'n in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a sheet separating and collecting machine provided with sheethandling devices in two parallel series for automatically feeding individual sheets from their corresponding piles.

Fig. 4 shows the operative position of the sheet separating and delivering mechanism with the front sheet gripped adjacent its lower edge thereby.

Fi g. 5 shows the operative position oit the sheet separating mechanism after the sheet has been separated from the pile and swung away from the latter.

v Fig. 6 shows the operative position oi the sheet is gripped by the calipers.

1930, Serial No. 486,756, and in Germany May 3, 1930.,

drive control and sheet gauging mechanism with the caliper jaws open.

Fig. 7 shows the position of the drive disengaging pawl when the caliper jaws are open.

Fig. 8 shows the arrangement of the main drive divided shaft. j

Fig. 9 shows the operative position of the sheet gauging mechanism when the caliper jaws are closed to grip a standard sheet.

Fig. 10 shows the position of the main drive disengaging mechanism when a standard Fig. 1l shows the position of the gauging and control mechanism with thc caliper jaws closed in the absence of a sheet.

Fig. l2 shows the position of the drive disengaging mechanism when the caliper jaws are closed in the absence of a sheet, or alternatively when the gauge is closed upon a sheet of other than standardthickness.

Fig. 13 shows the vacuum pipe and suction cortrol sleeve partly in longitudinal section an Fig. 14 shows the vacuum pipe with suction control sleeve 1n transverse section.

ln the -following description the sheet handling mechanism for a two pile unit is more specifically described but the machine 'may be constructed with any desired number of such sheet handling units arranged in sin-= gle or double banks.

The folded and/or single sheets, which are to be automatically fed to the collecting machine illustrated in the drawings, are piled edgewise in an inclined position to form the obliquely disposed piles l (Fig. l). Assuming that a pile consists of Jfolded sheets, the

disengaging mechanism mounted on a Jfolded edges of the sheets ,rest on the supporting bars 2 which, in turn, are mounted in brackets on the main frame. rlhe heads oil the sheets are directed towards the conveyor device- (Fig. 3) of the collecting machine. Further folded sheets or single sheets, ii such are to be inserted with the folded sheets, are Jformed into corresponding piles. Each pile is guided laterally by side lays 3. IThese lays 3 are mounted on one or the other oit a pair of guide bars4 so as to be individually adjustable but they can alsobeadj usted simultaneously in groups to a narrower or wider setting between the respective lays for each pile by rotating a liand-wheel 5 (Fig. 1). The guide bars 4 each common to alternate side lays 3, have their extremities formed as toothed racks which engage with a pinion 8 journalled between the guide bars. By rotating the hand wheel 5 and pinion 8 the guide bars 4 are traversed in opposite directions relatively to each other. The side lays 3 are alternately connected with the upper and lower guide bars, so that by the opposed displacement of the guide bars they are simultaneously adjusted to a narrower or wider setting according to the size of the piled sheets.

Upper fingers 6 serve for holding the sheets down on the bars 2. These lingers also are so arranged that they can be adjusted individually or collectively in accordance with the height of the sheet piles. The adjustment of the groups of upper ngers also is effected by a rack and pinion mechanism. The upper fingers 6 are supported in guides 75 (Figs. 1 and 2) by upwardly extending members, the upper extremities of which are provided with the toothed racks Sl. The racks 9 engage with pinions 9a which are interconnected by means of a common shaft 76 upon which is mounted also a hand wheel 77. Thus by rotating the hand wheel 77 the lingers 6 for a series of piles are adjusted as a whole.

The arrangement of each pile permits of the supply of sheets thereto without interrupting the operation of the machine.

The removal of sheets from each pile is effected by means of suction nozzles 10 which operate in conjunction with sheet tensioning segments 11, a sheet retaining rake .12, a sheet separating rake 13 and an oscillating rake 14 (Fig. 1). The suction nozzles 10 and tensioning segments 11 are rigidly mounted on a common shaft 15. The shaft 15 is carried by the short arms of the two arm control levers 16. The control levers 16 are pivotally mounted at 17 on the rocking levers 18. The rollers carried by the longer arms of the control levers 16 engage in the cam grooves bf the cam levers 19.V The oscillating rakes 14 as well as the oscillating levers 18, for a series of sheet handling units, are rigidly secured to a common shaft 20 on which the cam levers 19 are loosely journalled.

The parts 10, 11, 14, 15, 16 and 17 participate in the rocking motion of the levers 18 about the axis of the supporting shaft 20. In the position indicated in Fig.' 1 the suction nozzles 10 act on the sheet 30, which is in the operative plane 7, closely above the fold. When the suction action has taken place the cam levers 19 to ether with their inclined cam tracks are roc ed relatively to the engagseparating rake 13 is connection with the control levers 16, are brought into the position shown in Fig. 4 so lthat the sheet 30 which has been attached to the nozzles by the suction is bent away from the pile. This bending action is assisted by the tensioning segments 11 by means of which the edge of the sheet which has been dei'iected is tensioned so that folds cannot occur.

Motion is imparted to each cam lever 19, by means of a cam 21a, mounted on the driving shaft 21, engaging a follower roller carried by one arm of a bell crank lever 22, the second arm of the latter being linked, by means of a pitman 23 to the extending arm 40 of the lever 19.

After the sheet has been engaged by the suction nozzle and the lower edge bent away from the pile (Fig. 4), the ngers of the sheet retaining rake 12 move upwardly and towaids the pile from the lower position and pass closelv behind the deflected edge of the sheet 30 between the latter and the operative plane 7. By means of this motion of the rctaining rake the lower edge of the pile, which tends to spread and project somewhat toward the edge of the deflected sheet, is engaged by the former and brought back into the operative plane 7.

The actuation of the retaining rake 12 is initiated by a cam 22a also mounted on the driving shaft 21, and engaging a follower roller carried by one arm of a bell crank lever 24. The other arm of the lever 24 is connected by a pitniaii 25 to the arm 26 of a further bell crank lever pivoted on a shaft 28 and connected by its other arm 27 to the rake 12.

The fingers of the retaining rake 12 are pivotally connected with the arm 27 and are positively guided in the stationary guide 29. The lever 27 is connected to the shaft 28 by means of an adjustable boss (not shown) which permits of the precise adjustment of the retaining rake relatively to the edge of the sheet pile.

When the fingers of the retaining rake 12 have attained the extreme right-hand position, the sheet 30, engaged by the suction nozzle, is separated from the pile. The separation of the sheet 30 is causedby the upward motion of the separating rake 13 co-operating with the oscillatory motion of the pivotal rake 14 away from the pile (Figs. 4 and 5). The actuated by means of a cam (not shown) also mounted on the driving shaft 21. The throw of the cam is transmitted to a bell crank levei` 31 rigidly mounted on a. shaft common to a quadrant member 32. The latter engages a pinion 33 which, together with a toothed segment 34, is mounted on a common shaft 74. The segment 34 engages a rack 35 to which the separating rake is connected by. means of an intermediate member 35 and thereby reciprocates the sepal rating rake by the oscillation of the quadrant mechanism vfor each member 32.

The pivotal rake 14 and oscillating lever 18 are` also actuated by means of a cam 36 mounted on the shaft 21 and engaging a roller carried by the bell crank lever 36 which is connected by the pitman 37 and lever 38 to the pivotal rake, the latter being thus oscillated about the shaft 20.

Due to the connection of the pivotal rake 14 with the oscillating levers 18 on the shaft 2 0, the control levers 16which are freely'rotatable about the pivot 17, traverse the cam grooves of the cam levers 19 when the pivotal rake is swung away, and in so doing return the suction nozzles 10 to the plane of the swinging rake in order that the defiected edge of the sheet may be again returned to the straight position (Fig. 5). After the pivotal rake 14 has been swung back from the pile into the vertical position (Fig. 5), the sheet is released from the suction jets by equalizing the air pressure within the suction nozzles to that of the atmosphere and the sheet then falls into the feed chute 39 of the collecting machine. The suction control i unit operates as follows.

rl`he suction in the suction jets 10 is positively controlled from the shaft 20.`v The control .is effected b-y means ofthe linkage comprising levers 38, 41 and 42, the latter mounted on the common vacuum lever being associated with the suction control sleeve. The hub of the lever 42, constructed as a control sleeve 43, is rotatably pipe 44 of the suction jets` The control sleeve is provided with a connection point for the conduit connecting the vacuum pipe with the suction nozzles. The vacuum pipe 44 (Figs. 13 and 14), which is reinforced by a nonrotatable flanged sleeve 78 at the point where lthe control sleeve 43 operates, is provided with a radially disposed suction aperture 7 9. rlhe {ianged sleeve has a corresponding aperture 79 and an axially disposed groove 80 which is not connected with the vacuum pipe 44. Thecontrol' sleeve 43 is provided with three radially disposed apertures 81 which are arranged adjacent one -another on the same longitudinal line. The central aper ture 81 to which the connecting conduit of the suction jet is attached lies in the radial plane of'the suction aperturev 79; At the instant when the sheet in the working plane 7 is to be engaged by the suction head, the control sleeve 43 is positioned to register the apertures 79, 79 and central aperture 81. so that the constant vacuum provided within the vacuum pine 44 ensures a sudden engagement of the sheet by the suction jets 10.

During the period that the sheet is swung out of the working plane 7, as already described, the control sleeve 43 rotates to bring chine are automatically brought to rest,

the apertures 81 towards the groove 80. lnk this manner the vacuum pipe 44 is first isolated due to the suction .aperture 79 being closed andthe sheet is still suction jets due to the vacuum still existing in the connecting conduit. If the control sleeve is rotated to such an extent that the apertures 81 register with the groove 80 then the groove 80 provides an inter-connection ofthe outer apertures 81 which open to the atmosphere and at the desired instant the sheet isthrown off from the suction ets due to the rush of air passing into the connecting conduit and effecting the equalization of the pressure.

The sheets supplied by the feeding apparatus to the collecting machine are gauged and controlled in the feed chute of the collectingmachine, represented by wayof ex ample, and if faulty feed of the sheets should occur the feeding apparatus and this lipaor this purpose calipers 45 are provided in the .feed-way 39, which calipers close as soon as the sheet has passed into the feed-way. The

jaw 46 of the calipers is stationary and the jaw 47 mounted so as to be movable.

The actuation of the jaw 47 is effected by means of a cam (not shown) mounted on the driving shaft 21 and engaging a link 48, which is connected to abell crank lever 49, 50. The latter is connected by means of a pitman 53 to a three armed lever 51 which is connected by another pitman 54 and bell crank lever 52 to the caliper jaw 47. A gapslide executes an up and down motion which is imparted to it from a cam (not shown) mounted on the driving shaft 21. The lower extremity of the member 55 is pivotally connected to the arm 58 of a bell vcrank lever rigidly mounted on a shaft 58a. Also rigid-` ly mounted on the latter shaft is a lever 57 to which the connecting lever 56 transmits the throw of the above mentioned cam.

The downwardly directed lon-ger arm 59 of the last mentioned bell crank lever influences the drive disengaging device proper (Figs. 9 and 11).

ln order to bring the machine to rest the drive dise'ngaging device releases an expanding ring'coupling, of known type, on the driving shaft l.60. The disengaging device is actuated by means of a cam (not shown) also mounted on the driving shaft 21, which actuates the bifurcated arm 62 by means of link 61 (Figs. 1 and 10). The arm 62 is freely mount-ed on a disengag'ng shaft 63 and carries the drive disengaging pawl 64A (Fig. 12). The shaft 63 is divided within the hub of the pawl lever 62 (Figs. 7-8), and a pawl tripping lever 65 together with a blocking lever 66 are rigidly mounted on the front part thereof. The pawl tripping lever 65 is elastically maintained, by means of a tension spring 65a, against a stop on the arm 62 so that the front part-of the shaft 63 together with the tripping lever 65 and lever 66 participates in the positive motion of the arm and pawl 64 (Figs. 7 to l2).

Further levers 67 and 68 are rigidly mounted on the rear part of the shaft 63. The lever 67 is provided with ratchet teeth, at its upper extremity, with which the pawlV 64 engages.

By means of the pitman 70 the lever 68 is connected with a drive disengaging` forli 69 (Fig. l). The disengaging fork 69 engages with and displaces u sleeve on the driving shaft which sleeve in its displacement closes or opens the expanding ring coupling.

The operation et the controlling and drive disengagingI mechanism is as follows: The closure of the controllimqcalipers 45 is limited by the thickness ot the sheets which are gauged b v the calipers (Figs. l and 6). In order to equalize the difference in stroke thus occasioned between the jaw 47 and the constant throw of the actuating cam, the pitman 53 is elastically constructed. Due to the movement of the calipers by the cam mechanism the stop lever 51 swings to beneath the gap in the apertured slide member 55. The gap in the apertured slide member is formed b v jaws 7l, 72. The jaw 7l is stationary7 while the jaw 72 is adjustably mounted so that the breadth of the gap can be adjusted. The gap is adjusted to such a width that the lug 73 of the stop lever 5l can pass through with sufficient play on the downward motion of the apertured slide member 55.

The length of the pitman 54 (Fig. 6) is adjustable so that b-y this means the lug 73 can be set to the center of the gapy of the apertured slide member 55. This adjustment is effected when a stationary sheet such as is to be fed from the pile is disposed between the closed calipers (Fig. 9). Then when normal sheets are fed the lug 73 will always position itself to the center of the gap. In this position the apertured slide member 55 is not prevented from performing its downward motion (Fig. 9), and the locking arm 59 of the three armed member 58 will swing out from its locking position above the blocking lever 66. The swinging out of the member 59 enables the pawl tripping lever to follow the arm 62 freely (Fig. 10). This motion of the lever 65 prevents the drive disengaging pawl 64 from dropping into the teeth of the disengaging lever 67 and thus prevents the machine from being disengaged.

If any non-uniformity should occur in the feedingof the sheets the caliper jaws will either close completely (Fig. 1l) or remain more widely open than the standard setting allowed, so that in this manner the lug 73 of the stop lever 51 will abut the under surface of the jaw 7l or 72 and so hold the apertured slide member 55 against its downward movement. In this way the member 59 is prevented from swinging out (Fig. 12) and so prevents the pawl tripping lever 65 from moving with the arm 62, in which case the pawl 64 passes from the pawl supporting surface of the tripping lever and, urged by the spring 64a, engages the teeth provided on the lever 67, which latter in its further motion causes the machine to be brought to rest by actuating the disengaging fork 69 through the pitman 70 and lever 68.

Automatically operating units of the apparatus described above can be duplicated and arranged adjacent or one after the other, according to the desired purpose. Preferably in the latter case the arrangement in pairs is e'ected in such manner that the pile containers are oppositely disposed so that one sheet passes from the right and the other from the left into the collecting trough or in the collecting devi ce. constructed in any other desired manner, from which it proceeds to the further treatment. In this manner a very considerable economy in space is attained by comparison with the'hitherto usual arrangen'ient of one behind the other.

I claim:

l. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising means for positioning a sheetpile with the front sheet in an operative working plane, a pivotal member abutting said front sheet, pivotal suction nozzles, sheet-tensioning segmental members associated with said nozzles, a sheet-separating member, means for moving said member perpendicularly to the front sheet, means for swinging the front sheet away from the pile, and means for retaining the entire following sheet in the working plane.

2. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising means for positioning a sheet-pile with the front sheet in the operative plane, a pivotal rake member abutting the said front sheet, pivotal suction nozzles engaging the lower edge of the said front sheet, sheettensioning members lengaging the front sheet above the suction nozzles, means for deflecting the suction nozzles and attached sheet edge from the working plane, means for segregating the front sheet from the pile, and means for releasing the segregated sheet from the said segregating means.

3. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising an obliquely disposed sheet-pile container, a pivotal closure member, a camdrive actuating said closure member, movable cam-tracks, pivotal levers engaging said cam tracks, suction nozzles pivotally supported by said levers, and means for actuating said cam-tracks.

4. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising a sheet-pile container, a pivotal closure member, oscillable arms, pivotal suction nozzles supported by said arms, means for rocking said nozzles, means for oscillatclosure member,

rename ing said arms, and suction controlling means :Eor said nozzles.

5. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising a sheet-pile container, a pivotal means for actuating said member, oscillable arms, pivotal suction nozzles supported by said arms, sheet-tensioning segmental members supported by said arms, means for rocking said nozzles', means or oscillating said arms, and means orreleasing a sheet held by said nozzles.

6. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising means for positioning a sheet pile' with the front sheet in an operative plane, a pivotal member abutting the front sheet, sheet deiecting mechanism, a toothed segment, cam-driven mechanism actuating the said segment, a slidable toothed rack engaging said toothed segment, a sheet separating member reciprocated by said rack member, and means 'for retaining the entire following sheet of the said pile in the operative plane.

7. Automatic sheet-handling mechanism, comprising means for positioning a sheet pile with the front sheet in an operative plane, a pivotal rake member abutting the front sheet, sheet deflecting mechanism interengaging said rake member, a sheet separating member, a sheet retaining rake interengaging sai irst mentioned rake member, a cam-faced sleeve to guide the said retaining rake in its operative path, and cam-driven mechanism actuating the said retaining member.

8. in automatic sheet-handling mechanism having sheet pile mechanism and sheet segregating mechanism, periodically operating suction members comprising pivotal suction nozzles, a suctio-npipe common to said nozzles, suction control devices mounted-on the said pipe, connecting means vfrom said .control devices to said nozzles, and means for operating the said control devices.

9. In auto-matic sheet-handling mechanism having sheet pile mechanism and sheet segregating mechanism, periodically operating suction memberscomprising pivotal suction nozzles, a suction pipe common to said nozzles, ire-enforcing grooved sleeves mounted upon said pipe and having apertures communicating with said pipe, a rotatable collar mounted on each sleeve and having apertures communicating with the aperture in the sleeve and the atmosphere respectively, means for connecting said collar to a corresponding suction nozzle, and means for registering the apertures and grooveprovided in each suction control unit for the purpose described.

10. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising, in combination, obliquely positioned sheet-pile containers arranged in series of operative pairs side by side, adjustable side lays for each unit, adjustablel upper sheet-guides for each unit, means for controlling the side lays ot each series of units from a unified control, means for controlling th'e upper sheet-guides of each series of units from a unified control, sheet segregating mechanism associated with each unit, and means tor operating the sheet-segregating mechanism Jfor each series of units Jfrom a single drive.

11. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising, in combination, a container for a sheet pile, a pivotal closure member -for said container, periodically functioning suction nozzles engaging a horizontal edge of the front sheet of said pile, sheet tensioning members associated with said' suction nozzles, means for bending outwardly the suction nozzles and sheet edge attached thereto, a reciprocating sheet-separating rake, a camided sheet-retaining rake inter-engaging with the said separating rake, means for swinging the segregated sheet away Jronl the pile, and means for releasing the outwardly swung sheet from the segregating means.

12. Automatic .sheet-handling apparatus, comprising, in combination, tainers arranged in rows of operative pairs, a sheet conveyor arranged between the rows of said containers, closure mechanism for said containers, sheet-segregating mechanism for said containers, means for operating the closure mechanism in timed relation, means for operating the segregating mechanism in timed relation, sheet-retaining mechanism and means for conveying. to further sheethandling means a sheet separatedfrom said pile containers.

13. A method of automatically segregating and removing individual sheets or strata from a sheet pile, which includes supporting the sheet pile edgewise and inclined to the vertical plane, gripping one edge of the outer sheet of said pile, deiecting the gripping means and sheet edge held thereby relatively to the pile, engaging with an auxiliary retaining member tlie corresponding edge of said pile, inserting a Isheet segregating member between the gripped edge of said pile and the gripped edge of the outer sheet, and swinging the latter away from the pile in an arcuate path of movement as said segregating member moves over the corresponding face of said pile.I

14. in automatic tus having a sheet-pile container, the` provision of sheet segregating mechanism, comprising a pivotal closure member for said container, pivotal periodically operating suction nozzles associated with said member, a

sheet-handling apparai slidable sheet-separating member and a separate sheet-edge retaining member interacting withsaid sheet-separating member.

l5. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising an obliquely disposed sheet-pile container, means an operative working plane, a pivotal front closure member for said container adapted for guiding the sheets to to move about ansaxial line substantially parallel to one edge of said pile, pivotal periodically operating suction nozzles associated with said front closure member, a slidable sheet separating member movable perpendicularly to said container, means for swinging away from the pile a sheet held by said suction nozzles and separately operating means for retaining in the operative working 10 plane the released edge of the following sheet.

16. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus, comprising means for positioning a sheet in an operative working plane, a pivotal memher abutting said sheet and adapted to move about an axial line substantially parallel to one edge of said sheet, pivotal suction nozzles associated with said pivotal member to seize the sheet, a sheet-separating member movable parallel to the pivotal member, means for moving the pivotal member, suction nozzles and attached sheet away from the pile, separate means for retaining in the operative plane the released edge of the following sheet of the pile, and means for releasing the segregated sheet from the suction nozzles.

17. Automatic sheet-handling .apparatus including a sheet pile container arranged to support a sheet pile edgewise and inclined to the vertical, a front closure member adapted to engage the outer sheet of said pile and move to and from the plane of said pile, means for engaging one edge of said. outer sheet, means for defiecting said sheet edge and said engaging means away from said pile, a sheet-edge retaining member adapted to engage the freed edge of the adjacent sheet to hold the latter in the operative plane, a sheet-separating member adapted to pass between said deflected sheet-edge and sheet-edge retaining member, and means for moving said front closure member together with said front sheet away from said pile.

18. Automatic sheet-handling apparatus including a sheet pile container arranged to support a sheet pile edgewise and inclined to the vertical, a front closure member adapted to engage the outer sheet of said pile and move to and from the plane of said pile, means for engaging the lower edge of said outer sheet, means for delecting said sheet edge and said engaging means away from said pile, rake members adapted to f engage the freed lower edge of said pile to retain the latter in the operative plane, a slidable sheet-separating rake adapted to interact with said retaining rake to move between said deflected sheet edge and the remainder of said pile, and means for moving said front closure member and said outer sheet engaged thereby away from the remainder of said pile.

' In testimony whereof I aix my signature. 65 RUDOLF KLEMM. 

